


budapest, the code word.

by haydenmd



Category: Marvel
Genre: Nightmares, the little heroes au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-07-24 00:13:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20017084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haydenmd/pseuds/haydenmd
Summary: sometimes assassins need comfort, too.





	budapest, the code word.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by https://ask-thelittleheros.tumblr.com/post/92261487545/clint-shut-upphil-natasha-youre-thirteen from ask-thelittleheros on tumblr. first line taken from https://ask-thelittleheros.tumblr.com/post/108133708275/clint-it-was-about-three-years-ago-i-think-my.
> 
> all credit for this au goes to ask-thelittleheros on tumblr & thank you to the mod for giving blanket permission to write fics of your work. i had fun playing with this au.

_“do it. you’re here to kill me, right kid. just do it! i'm tired of waiting.” the voice was different than the one the line came from in his memories. it was deeper, rougher. “do it, clint. shoot an arrow through my brain.”_

clint shot up in his bed, reaching out to grab the fidget cube that he keeps next to his bed for times like this (they calm him down), but instead met a human body. he looked over, heart racing even faster now, only to see the face of bucky barnes.

"natasha's had a nightmare and we can't get her to calm down. we thought that maybe you could do it. you seem pretty close."

the archer gave a confused look, not hearing without his aids in, moving to get up, ignoring that one of his crushes can now see his 'unicorns & cuddles are on my christmas list' shirt. he got his hearing aids out, putting them in before looking back at bucky. "okay, what did you say?"

bucky repeated himself.

"alright, let's go get nat to calm down."

* * *

clint walked into natasha's room, the door already open. nat was rocking back and forth, tears flowing down her face.

"i can't. i can't kill him. i couldn't kill him," she muttered under her breath. the redhead was rocking on her bed, obviously distraught over whatever her brain had drudged up from her past or created from her fears.

clint walked to the end of her bed, leaning against the bedpost. "budapest," he said. it was their code word, though only clint ever used it, for when one of them needed cuddles. With pasts like theirs, comfort in each other was all they had sometimes.

natasha looked up, seeing her best friend with worry in his eyes. she pushed her own memory away in favor of opening her arms to let clint in.

"let me make this clear, this _isn't_ for me. you need comfort, too, nat," clint said, tucking his head under her chin.

she sighed, knowing he was right, but not ready to admit it.

"how'd you know?"

"bucky told me," he whispered, "he said he could hear your sobs."

she remained quiet, only listening to her best friend talk, letting his voice sooth over her nerves.

"i had a nightmare, too, you know? it was of when we first met, but it wasn't you. bucky was the one i was sent to kill."

* * *

they stayed like that for the rest of the night, just holding each other, chasing away nightmares and memories of painful times. all of that could be saved for morning. 

at breakfast, natasha thanked bucky for sending clint her way.

**Author's Note:**

> this feels unfinished, but i'm no good at endings & sometimes a story needs to be stopped before getting convoluted.


End file.
